SNOW ANGELS FOR BOJANGLES — The Jefferson County Humane Society began a fundraising challenge Jan. 24 for a recently-rescued dog named Bojangles. The event is being held to bring attention to those animals suffering from animal cruelty during the winter. The #snowangelsforBojangles campaign challenges animal lovers to make a snow angel when weather permits, and post the photo or video to social media accounts. Kicking off the campaign at the humane society were, from left, humane officer Agent Kevin Dennis, development manager Brandi DeNoon-Damewood and canine medical specialist Cassidy Cunningham. -- Contributed

WINTERSVILLE — Imagine you have been taken by someone. They immobilize you by using a thick, heavy chain that prevents you from having the freedom to move. They abuse you, torture you. But no one ever comes to your rescue.

The chain now weighs so heavily that it has become embedded into your skin. It has actually become a physical part of your body … leaving you in such excruciating pain, day after day; year after year.

You can’t scream. You can’t call for help. What would you do?

Pray? What if you are incapable of praying. Wait to die? What if you didn’t understand the concept of death? What if all you knew was this ongoing world filled with unimaginable pain and fear … every single day?

No, this isn’t the latest Hollywood motion picture, nor is it a television show ending with the main character waking up from a nightmare. This was the life of Bojangles, a small, 15-pound dog who was rescued in December by the Jefferson County Humane Society. A dog who, for justified reasons, is scared of human beings.

A dog who is living with deep and infectious wounds while he struggles to improve. A dog who will perhaps one day carry his wounds as scars — reminders to people that animal cruelty does exist. And it exists right here, in our very own community.

The case, which is pending in a Jefferson County court, has left officials limited as to what they can discuss, according to the humane society’s development manager, Brandi DeNoon-Damewood.

She explained this particular case is one the nonprofit agency will always remember, and Bojangles is a dog who will not be forgotten any longer.

Of course, actions speak louder than words. Which is why the humane society is asking for the community’s help.

A social media challenge to support Bojangles and others like him began Jan. 24 outside of the humane society in Wintersville. The Snow Angels for Bojangles campaign is asking animal lovers to go outdoors when the weather permits, and take a photo or video of themselves making a snow angel or simply sitting in the snow. While out there, take a second, pause and contemplate what it must be like to endure that kind of cold all of the time, unable to go indoors to get warm. Then, upload that photo or video to a social media account and use the hashtag #snowangelsforBojangles.

The purpose of the challenge is to bring awareness to the animals suffering outside without proper shelter, the ones who have no choice but to endure the brutal weather all alone, DeNoon-Damewood said.

“Out of all my years of rescue, I have seen numerous embedded collars, but none come close to how awful this was,” DeNoon-Damewood recalled. “Some cases and animals stick with us through the years — Bojangles is most-definitely one of them. Against the odds, he survived. And with the help of our community, his life has been forever changed. This darling endured his three years of life in pain, captivity and terror — tethered outside with a heavy chain wrapped around his neck. Over time, the weight caused the chain to push further and further into his skin, until it broke the flesh slowly. It was embedded so deep it intertwined with the flesh under his skin and our agent had to bring the chain to have it surgically removed.”

“This isn’t something that happens overnight,” she continued. “This took a long time to get this bad. So much of his flesh had to be removed because it had grown all through the links, leaving him with surgical drains and massive amounts of staples and stitches 6 inches long and incredibly deep. After tons of procedures, cleanings, pain management medication and antibiotics, he is finally doing better. He was conditioned to think movement meant pain. This breaks my heart to think of what he went through every moment of his little life, just dreaming of a life without this. Without this torture.”

“Bojangles endured through every season alone, in pain and without hope,” recalled Cassidy Cunningham, canine medical specialist at the humane society. “So, it is meaningful to do something special just for him.”

“We are very grateful for the folks who take a few minutes out of their busy day to be the voice for the voiceless,” remarked Kevin Dennis, humane agent for the nonprofit organization. “Because those few minutes can make the biggest impact on an animal who is suffering in silence.”

“It is hard to fathom that our neighbors can be capable of cruelty behind closed doors,” DeNoon-Damewood said. “It is so important to report anything that doesn’t seem right. We investigate every call. And out of every eight calls, we find neglect, medical neglect, abandonment, physical abuse, cruelty and abuse. Keep in mind we can only uphold the laws that are in place. But we would much rather have a call to investigate that checks out to be OK, than to not get a call and an animal remains suffering in silence at the hands of the abuser. If you are unsure whether or not you should call, call. Always call.”

Today, Bojangles is loving his freedom with the foster family who took him in and taught him that not all human beings are bad and that a touch doesn’t always have to hurt.

“Many people do not realize the incredible dedication and patience it takes to rehabilitate a dog after a lifetime of trauma,” DeNoon-Damewood concluded. “It takes a lot of hard work. But it is the most rewarding experience.”

This week, it was announced the family who fostered Bojangles has adopted him, ensuring he will always have a permanent home that is pain-free and one in which he can learn the meaning of the word love.

To quote Roald Dahl and the quote DeNoon-Damewood thinks of when she reflects on Bojangles: “Don’t forget about what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he ever wanted … he lived happily ever after.”